A police car was stolen Friday from a college campus in Washington, D.C.

The car, belonging to the police department of the University of the District of Columbia, was taken from campus about 3:45 a.m., the D.C. police said. The campus is in the 4200 block of Connecticut Avenue NW.

The vehicle was found Friday evening, according to Officer Lee Lepe, a spokesman for the D.C. police. He said it was in what is known as the unit block of P Street NW.

That is just west of North Capitol Street, and about five miles from where the vehicle was taken.

It was not clear who took the car or why or where it had been in the hours between when it was taken and when it was found. The gray 2023 Ford Explorer bore markings clearly indicating it was a police vehicle.

In a city where several categories of crime have increased this year, car theft has increased particularly sharply.

Police statistics show the number of car thefts so far this year to be 6,055, about double the 3,034 reported last year. The reason for the 100 percent increase is not clear.

Even in a city where car thefts have soared, the police vehicle theft seemed unusual. No information was immediately available about whether any other police vehicles have been stolen in the capital this year.

Thefts, which generally do not involve force, are distinguished from carjackings, in which force or the threat of force is involved.